New Release & Video: Eleanor Friedberger – In Between Stars

A video is now available for the album’s dazzling first song, In Between Stars, shot by Eleanor and edited by Los Angeles based video artist Danny Perez…

Says Eleanor about the video: “I saw Danny do live visuals for Body/Head (Kim Gordon and Bill Nace) and Bjorn Copeland (formerly of Black Dice) while I was in LA in January. I thought his use of analog feedback and bold color fit the mood of Rebound perfectly. With a little moral support and instruction from Kim Gordon: ‘move around, just twirl.’ I turned the camera on myself and hit record”

In Between Stars is just one of Rebound’s many standout tracks; the album as a whole is an entirely new sound for Eleanor, exchanging live instrumentation for programmed drums, a Juno synthesizer, and muted guitars, creating a sonic landscape where influences range from Stereolab and Suicide to Lena Platonos and Yellow Magic Orchestra

In addition to a new sonic palette, Rebound takes significant inspiration from Eleanor’s time spent in Greece. Half-Greek herself, Eleanor frequently travelled to Greece to see family, but decided in 2017 to really immerse herself in the culture

She says: “I spent most of 2016 on the road, and I needed to keep that momentum going. I had always wanted to spend more time in Greece; take Greek lessons and get to know Athens better while hopefully writing some music. After November 8, 2016 I set that loose plan into motion. While friends back home were suddenly becoming politically activated for the first time, it was exciting to be living in a city where protest marches occur on a weekly, or sometimes daily basis. I assembled a band of Greek musicians, played a few shows, learned a few more Greek words, but didn’t get much writing done. It turned out to be more of a reconnaissance mission.

After a month in Athens I asked my friend, the Greek musician Σtella, “What’s one thing I have to do before I leave?” After some long and careful consideration she smiled and said, “you have to go to Rebound. It’s a time warp; kind of an 80s goth disco where everyone does the chicken dance; you’ll love it… but it’s only open on Saturdays after 3:00 AM.” Rebound proved to be a revelation in terms of finding the sound and energy for my fourth album. The club was very dark and despite the no smoking signs, like everywhere in Athens, it was very smoky. The “chicken dance” Stella mentioned was a solitary one. I copied the slouchy strut, moving back and forth in line, swinging my arms in time to the music that at first sounded like Joy Division or maybe The Cure, but never revealed itself– one could only assume it to be knock-off by an unknown Baltic band. It was alienating and exhilarating”

Eleanor will also be hitting the road this Spring, opening for The Decemberists on various dates between now and June. All tour dates are below…